Call for Applications
Introduction
According to a new agreement between the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and TWAS, the academy of sciences for the developing world, up to 140 students/scholars per year from the developing world will be sponsored to travel to China for up to four years’ of PhD study and research.
The CAS-TWAS President’s Fellowship Programme provides students/scholars from developing countries with the opportunity to pursue PhDs at University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (UCAS), the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) and/or institutes of CAS around China.
Under the terms of the new CAS-TWAS agreement, TWAS will be responsible for providing round-trip travel support for 50 awardees each year to and from China, or for providing one way travel support for 80 awardees each year to China. TWAS will make active efforts to secure additional funds to cover more awardees for travel supports. In addition, TWAS will also cover visa related expenses and a contribution to excess luggage fees for stays in China of more than 12 months.
CAS will be responsible for a monthly payment to cover accommodation and living expenses.
Successful applicants will receive a monthly stipend (including living expenses, local travel expenses and health insurance) of RMB 7,000 (approx. USD 1,100) or RMB 8,000 (approx. 1,250) from CAS, depending on whether he/she has passed a qualification test after admission.
The Fellowship awardee who fails the qualification test twice within one year will face the consequences including:
1. termination of his/her Fellowship;
2. discontinuity of his/her PhD study;
3. getting a diploma of completion
Awardees of the Fellowship will be exempted from tuition fees.
The funding duration of the Program is 4 years, divided into:
- Maximum 1 year study of courses, including 4 months compulsory courses in Chinese Language and Culture.
- Practical research and completion of degree dissertation.
General conditions for applicants:
Applicants must:
- Not take up other assignments during the period of his/her this fellowship;
- Be a national of a developing country other than China;
- Must not hold any visa for temporary or permanent residency in a developed country;
- Be financially responsible for any accompanying family member.
Applicants for PhD Study Scholarship should also:
- Maximum age of 35 years on 31 December in the year of application
- Have a master degree before the beginning of the fall semester.
- Provide evidence that he/she will return to their home country on completion of their studies in China according to CAS-TWAS agreements.
- Provide proof of knowledge of English or Chinese language e.g. studies taken in these languages, certificates etc.
- Provide recommendation letters from two professors in a relevant field, for example the applicant’s supervisor at the home institution or head of department and/or an eminent scientist from outside the home institution. If a TWAS member is familiar with the applicant’s work he may ask him/her for a letter of support. Due to privacy reasons, TWAS cannot provide contact details of TWAS members.
How to apply for the Fellowship
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Download and fill in the “Admission Application Form for International Students” and “Application Form for the CAS-TWAS President’s Fellowship” (See the attachment), and submit these two application forms (Supervisor’s Comment Pages not to be included) with the following materials to the Office of CAS-TWAS President’s Fellowship Programme:
- Notarized photocopy of the highest degree certificate (This year’s graduates provide a pre-graduation certificate);
- Notarized photocopy of the transcript of all undergraduate or graduate study;
- Curriculum vitae and detailed research proposal;
- Photocopy of the first page of a regular passport
- Photocopy of the title page and abstract of each published academic paper;
- Foreigner Physical Examination Form;
Note：
Contact professors and get agreement from a Professor to be your tutor (supervising professor).
Send the Supervisor’s Comment Pages in the “Application Form for the CAS-TWAS President’s Fellowship” to your host supervisor/ tutor (supervising professor in China), and ask him/her to fill in the comment pages. Make sure that your host supervisor/tutor (supervising professor) will send the completed “comment pages” directly to the Office of CAS-TWAS President’s Fellowship Programme.
The applicant must obtain recommendation letters from two professors in a relevant field, for example the applicant’s supervisor at the home institution or head of department and/or an eminent scientist from outside the home institution. If a TWAS member is familiar with his/her work the applicant may ask him/her for a letter of support. Due to privacy reasons, TWAS cannot provide contact details of TWAS members.
The applicants who do need travel support for international travel to and from China, should provide a separate written request and send the request together with the “Application Form for the CAS-TWAS President’s Fellowship” to the Office of CAS-TWAS President’s Fellowship Programme. CAS will coordinate with TWAS to process and make decision on travel support issues.
Downloads:
Programme
Appendix I.
Appendix II.
Appendix III.